Saturday, May 30, 2009

Beltangady, May 19: “Physically-handicapped people need opportunities more than empathy for this boosts their self-confidence”, said Sri Kshetra Manjunateshwara Dharmasthala Dharmadikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade.

Dr Heggade was speaking at the programme organized for free distribution of artificial limbs in Dharmasthala here on Monday May 18. This humanitarian task was undertaken jointly by Sri Dharmastala Manjunateshwara Medical Trust, Dharmasthala, and Marvari Youth Federation, Bangalore.

“Bangalore-based Marvari Youth Federation ventured into social work by extending health care facilities when a major fire broke out at Venus Circus in Bangalore in 1981”, said Dr Heggade. He said that since then, it has been involved in commendable humanitarian tasks that are indeed commendable.

“The physically challenged get special facilities and respect in countries abroad that is not found in our country. At the camp held here, 51 artificial limbs were fitted onto physically handicapped people. Moreover, if there are more number of such cases, one more camp will be held for them to avail the facility”, added Dr Heggade.

Marvari Youth Federation vice-president Mahendra Solanki said that their humanitarian tasks cover free dialysis service for needy patients in 22 hospitals across Bangalore. Free artificial limbs will be fitted to the physically handicapped at Mahaveer Jain Hospital with free accommodation and food.

Marvari Youth Federation president B Chandrapal Bhandary said that the organization has been engaged in polio reversal surgery, health care services to Bhopal gas victims, Kargil war victims, Gujarat earth quake, flood victims of Rajastan, tsunami, and the like.

“The organization has also provided free artificial limbs to 28,736 physically handicapped by conducting 252 camps. Mobile dental care services are made available in remote villages in Karnataka, whereby skilled dental surgeons attend to various dental ailments”, he added.

Bantwal, May 29: On behalf of all the Jains, Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade was accorded a warm and emotional honour at his birth place, Bantwal. The people of his birth place exulted at the opportunity to offer their respect and love to Heggade, who had left this place as a young boy, to grow to be a leader, social worker and organizer of international eminence and stature.

Heggade was born and brought up at the Bandasale near river Netravati in the town. He completed his primary education in the board school here. After being enthroned as the Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari at a young age of 20, Heggade as the first step reconstructed the local Adinathaswami Jina Chaityalaya. He converted the Bandasale where he grew, as the centre of his brainchild, Dharmasthala Village Development Project’s local office.

To express their gratitude for the initiatives taken by Heggade to develop the taluk, the Jain Samaj and Jain Milan here jointly felicitated Heggade and his wife Hemavati Heggade on Thursday May 29. Heggade, who gratefully accepted the honour, said that character makes a man. Character also brings recognition and respect to a person. People should strive to inculcate good character and lead an ideal life in the society, he advised. His address was interspersed with anecdotes from his childhood life he spent here.

Heggade visited Sri Adinathaswami Chaityalaya at Bastipadpu here, from where the couple was brought in a process to the venue of felicitation, Sri Dharmastala Kalyana Mantap. On this occasion, a volume titled 'Jina Maitri' containing full details of the Jains and Jain Basadis in Bantwal taluk that was in the pipeline since long, was released by Heggade. MLA B Ramanath Rai, Jain Samaj president P Jinaraj Ariga, secretary Pa Anantaraj Indra, Jain Milan president Sudarshan Jain, secretary Subhaschandra Jain and many others were present.

First-time MP Pradeep Jain has been inducted into the central ministry as he is the only Congress MP elected from the drought-prone Bundelkhand region. And the choice is a clear indication of the importance accorded to the area, feels party insiders in the state.

Jain (47), a down-to-earth man, is the kind of young people AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi believes will help rebuild the Congress in UP in time for the next assembly elections — due in 2012.

One of the most backward regions, Bundelkhand has been neglected by successive governments. Poor agriculture, lack of irrigation and drinking water, unemployment, and migration to cities for jobs are some of the perennial problems.

As the Minister of State for Rural Development, Jain should be equipped to take care of the development needs of the region.

Last year, Rahul had visited Bundelkhand and organised protests on local issues. Jain, an MLA from Jhansi, had caught his eye at the time. When the Lok Sabha elections were announced, Rahul ensured that Jain got the party ticket. He also made it a point to address a public meeting in Jhansi.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Pradeep Kumar Jain 'Aditya' , new member of parliament elected from Jhansi, is now joined the union cabinet as a Minister of State.

About Pradeep Kumar Jain

Elected from Jhansi constituency in Bundelkhand, 47-year-old Jain is not only a first-timer in the Union ministry but a first-time MP as well. Before becoming a MP, he was the sitting MLA from Jhansi Assembly constituency. Sources in the UPCC said Jain is regarded as a diligent worker, who has worked hard to revive the party in the Bundelkhand region. Since Bundelkhand is said to be close to Rahul Gandhi’s heart and Jain is regarded as one of the younger lot, he fits in Gandhi’s vision for 2012

Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh. “His name comes as a surprise. But the fact that he comes from Bundelkhand explains it all. It will certainly give a boost to the region. He is regarded as a grassroot-level worker in the party,” said a senior UPCC leader.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

FARIDABAD: IIT JEE topper Nitin Jain doesn't see what the fuss is about. The shy teenager says it's a goal he set two years ago and has steadily worked for. But consider the numbers: Jain secured the first rank in the IIT entrance exam for 2009, taken by 3.8 lakh students in the country and abroad. From Delhi zone alone, 60,852 students took the test, of which a mere 1,524 were successful. Nationwide, 10,035 students qualified.

``It's no surprise. We had been expecting this,'' said the Jains as their son adjusted to the flash of cameras that followed him all through Monday after the results were declared. ``Whenever I saw photos of toppers in the newspapers, I always thought my son would be there too. That day has finally come,'' said a beaming Kumkum Jain, Nitin's mother.

The topper remained calm, attributing the all India rank 1 to regular and planned studying. ``Since I took up science after Class X, IIT was a natural choice. I wanted to get the first rank and I got it,'' said Nitin. His formula: devoting equal time to all subjects while studying only four to five hours a day.

Nitin's teachers at Modern Vidya Niketan burst crackers to celebrate the unprecedented honour. ``We always knew Nitin would crack IIT JEE and could get the first rank too. He has an exceptional IQ. He has been a topper throughout,'' said Kanta Sharma, manager of MVN School. Faridabad too is emerging a toppers' address, with Nitin's success coming after Tannvi Aggarwal aced the nationwide CBSE exams this year.

Nitin's father, N C Jain, says the future was charted by the teenager long ago. ``I wanted him to do CA but he said he wanted to be a computer engineer. I once asked if he thought he could get into IIT. He said there was no doubt.'' Nitin, known as a science wizard in school, has won a gold medal in the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics in Indonesia and will soon head to Mexico for another science olympiad. ``The education minister of Indonesia had also invited him to join the Bardung Institute of Technology for engineering,'' Nitin's father said. Nitin scored 95% aggregate in his Class XII board exams.

By Nitin's own blueprint, he will the family's first engineer. His father is a businessman and works part-time in a factory. His mother is a housewife. ``Physics is my faviourite subject. But I will go for computer engineering now,'' he said.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

MYSORE: Archaeologists involved with excavations at historic Talakad village have found an inscribed stela which authenticates the existence of Jainism in the region.

According to a press release issued by the archaeology department here, this inscribed stela with a Jain image dated to 978-79 AD was unearthed from already excavated Basadi site at Talkad. The inscription reads that sage Balachandramuni known for his unblemished character and quality attained heaven in 978 AD, the release says , adding that this "nishidige" was created by Kundana Somidevi.

Archaeology director Gopal said this relic and inscription throws open a flood of information on several facets of Jain culture. Balachandramuni was the discpline of Maladharideva of Kondakundanvaya, Desigana and Pustakamnaya, and a great scholar.

The release said the inscription reveals that Balachandramuni attained his heavenly abode after five days of fasting and Kundana Somidevi who erected this stela was the sister of King Nolamakulantaka Marasimha II (963-74 AD) . The inscription was written by scribe Immadi Perumadiachari Bahulavelenga.

The release disclosed that Kundana Somidevi is none other than the lady who had gifted a beautiful Jain bronze image now preserved in Sharavanabelagola Jain mutt and she was the daughter of Ganga King Butuna III(940-63) and wife of Rajaditya of the Chalukya dynasty.

Note said the carving of this stela is unique in the sense that it is designed and decorated like a small shrine having six essential arts of a shrine. The fagade has the relief of sage Balachandramuni in "Kayotsarga" posture between two pilasters.

Monday, May 4, 2009

WASHINGTON: India born Ajit Jain is one of three top executives who could succeed billionaire investor Warran Buffett as CEO of the investment giant, Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

But no one knows when the change will occur as the 78-year-old Buffett has not indicated when he plans to call it a day. On Saturday, Buffett once again had flattering things to say about Jain, who has worked for him since 1986, currently runs his re-insurance business and is one whom he talks with every day.

At the company’s annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett said it would be impossible to replace Jain at Berkshire’s insurance operations, remarking: ‘‘Ajit is needed, and we won’t find a substitute for him.’’

‘‘You can do enormous damage in the insurance business with your pen, and we’ve given our pen to Ajit in a way we wouldn’t give it to anybody else,” he said.

The legendary investor’s job will eventually be split with his son, Howard, succeeding him as chairman, and a still to be chosen Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer.

Born in Orissa, the 57-year-old Jain is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and the Harvard Business School.

The other two top contenders from within the Berkshire empire for the CEO perch are David Sokol, chairman of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, and Tony Nicely, CEO of the company’s GEICO Corp.

According to reports, while the candidates for CEO already work for Berkshire, at least one of the contenders for the post of Chief Investment Officer is an outsider.

Buffett sees little logic in choosing the CEO successor well ahead. Reports quoted him as commenting that he doesn’t see any value in naming the person as the other two not chosen might leave Berkshire.As he put it, ‘It would be a waste of talent. I don’t really see any advantages in having some crown prince around.’’

As for Jain, this is not the first time that Buffett has showered praise on him.

‘‘Ajit’s value to Berkshire is enormous,’’ he said in 2004. In a comment a year ago, Buffett said: "Ajit came to Berkshire in 1986. Very quickly, I realised that we had acquired an extraordinary talent. So I did the logical thing: I wrote his parents in New Delhi and asked if they had another one like him at home. Of course, I knew the answer before writing. There isn’t anyone like Ajit."

For Berkshire Hathaway, as for most of Corporate America, it has been a bad time. Its first-quarter operating profit has fallen and the company’s book value is down by 6 percent. The operating profit is down 12 percent compared to a year ago.

As for the four candidates deemed to be in the race to replace him as Chief Investment Officer, Buffett commented: "In terms of 2008 by itself, you would not say that they covered themselves with glory. But I didn’t cover myself in glory either in 2008."

A lot of articles on Jainism in Marathi and some in Hindi are published on the website. This website is created by ennovata, and Indian Software and Website Development Company from Pune.

Dhiraj Jain, CEO of ennovata told that these articles are in Unicode and the readers do not require downloading Marathi fonts for viewing the site. Beside that, we have given all articles in PDF form also.

It is the first website on Jainism in Marathi language.

Mahavir Sanglikar, editor of the website; Mr. Sunil Chanekar, Chief Marketing Manager of Chanudkaka Saraf & Sons: and Kunj Dayama, Developer of the website were other dignitaries present at the launching ceremony.

Swamiji Devendrakeerty visited Weston in mid-April to help dedicate the Jain Center of South Florida. (James D. Davis)

Pausing during a recent tour of the new Jain Center of South Florida, K. Depika Dalal gleefully showed off the gleaming white marble idols. Here, a Hindu deity. There, a statue of a Jain master.

"The divisions are like Catholic and Protestant, but not here," Dalal, vice president of the Jain Center, said with a smile. "Here, all souls are equal."

With dedication ceremonies April 17-19, the Jains of South Florida dedicated the only center of its kind south of Tampa.

Taking up 4,000 square feet, the center sits in an office park in Weston, within sight of I-75. The Indian-style interior is covered in white marble from India. Along with its land, the project cost $1.45 million.

Centerpiece is a Gabhara, a covered sanctuary housing three Thirthankars, or enlightened teachers: Adinath, the first; Mahavira, the 24th and most recent, who lived in the sixth century B.C.; and Simandhar, whom Jains foresee as the next Thirthankar.

Another section is for Jains who also honor other streams of the faith. A floor-to-ceiling plaque bears a mantra called Navakar, which believers chant to shed karma and move toward enlightenment. Finally, there's a large photo of Shrimad Rajchendra, a 19th century monk who translated Jain scriptures into the Gujarati language.

At the dedication ceremonies, Jain leaders prayed special mantras over the idols and applied a special saffron paste. Then the idols absorbed spiritual energy and became worthy of worship.

Among the visiting leaders was Swamiji Devendrakeerty, who has helped dedicate 54 temples in a half-dozen countries since 1974. He says it's a measure of the spread of Jains.

"It is important for people to have a place to gather and spend time in holy activities," Devendrakeerty said in an interview. "It builds spirituality and peace of mind."

Like many others from India, the 120 families of the Jain Center work as doctors, engineers, CPAs and businessmen. They are among an estimated 5-6 million believers worldwide, 100,000 in the United States.

Jainism is also among the oldest spiritual heritages, believers say. The religion gained a broader following in the sixth century B.C. under the leadership of Mahavira; but some historians and archaeologists say the Jain approach may go back to prehistoric times.

Dalal, also an associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Miami, said Hindu and Jain beliefs are similar about matters like reincarnation, but differ on how to reach enlightenment.

For one, she said, Jains don't believe in a supreme being. "There are gods, but there is no creator," she said. "We believe every soul has the potential to reach nirvana."

Another distinction: The path is for all to learn, without a mediator like a god. Even when Jains pray before the idols, they are simply communicating with themselves, said Dr. Mayur Maniar, a board member of the Jain Center.

"Mahavira has become a god, but he cannot give us anything," added Maniar, a neurologist who works in Sunrise and Hollywood. "We are telling our soul that we want to be like him."

Jains live by a strict ethical code dominated by ahimsa, practicing nonviolent deeds, words, even thoughts. They also believe in truthfulness, sexual modesty (or celibacy among monks), avoiding theft or cheating, and detachment from wealth and possessions.

Many Jains are vegetarians; some don't eat root vegetables like potatoes, fearing that digging up the foods will kill small creatures in the soil.

Although the Weston center is new, the congregation goes back to 1980. That year, it helped form the Indian Religious and Cultural Center, including Hindu, Jain and Sikh groups. As the groups grew, though, they divided into congregations.

In 1984, the Jains bought 20 acres on Griffin Road, but ran up against a law in Southwest Ranches that said houses of worship had to be more than 1,000 feet apart. They had better luck in Weston, where they moved in 2006.